1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to copy indicators, specifically to a power-assisted copy indicator that can be attached to copyholders or similar planar surfaces.
2. Background of Invention
Individuals that need to visually scan copy often use a copyholder. The copy is placed on the holder so that it faces the user, allowing for more convenient viewing of the copy. If so equipped, a copy indicator is moved up and down the length of the copy to draw attention to an area of interest.
Originally, the copy indicator was a manual device. To utilize it, the user would have to physically take hold of the copy indicator and move it to the desired area of the copy. Repeating this motion every time a new portion of the copy was to be emphasized could cause fatigue and frustration for the user.
Thereafter, inventors created several copyholding devices with copy indicators that could be moved up and down the length of the copy with less effort. U.S. Pat. No. 716,790 to Towers et al. (1902) describes a purely mechanical copyholder with a copy indicator that is moved up and down by interaction with a type writing machine, or by a manual crank. This solely mechanical device gives rise to incompatibility with today's non-mechanical word processors, is not designed to be used with existing copyholding devices, and increases the risk of mechanical failure with its abundance of precise moving parts. U.S. Pat. No. 1,881,103 to Sterling (1932) describes a copyholding device with a copy indicator that can be moved down the length of the copy by either mechanically or electrically oriented means. Once again, the extensive parts list needed to build this device would increase the chance of mechanical breakdown and also raise production costs, and is not designed to be used with existing copyholding devices. U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,313 to Vincent (1968) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,449,949 to Di Pasquale et al. (1969) both describe copyholding devices that use roller type mechanisms to move a desired portion of copy to a fixed viewing area. These both employ rigid designs that would be costly to build, resulting in an expensive end product, and are not for use with existing copyholding devices. U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,989 to Goldman (1973) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,064 to Friedman (1977) describe copyholding devices with electronic "smart" copy indicators that use automatic line sensing and spacing mechanisms. The copy indicators of these copyholders move up and down the length of the copy as signaled by a variety of electrical, mechanical, optical, and acoustic sensing devices. In addition to not being designed for use with existing copyholding devices, the design complexity and resultant cost of the line sensing and spacing mechanisms employed by these inventions might outweigh their practicality.
In lieu of all the ideas set forth in the venture to build a better copyholder, a glance a today's market would reveal a need for fresh ideas. What one would find is a variety of simple copyholders and stands that serve only the purpose of holding copy to be scanned by the user. Many of them have copy indicators, but if so, they are invariably manual devices that are moved up and down the length of the copy by the user until left at rest at the area to be scanned. Accordingly, since a copyholder with or without a copy indicator is probably already owned by the user, or could be acquired quite economically, an entire copyholding and scanning device is not needed. Only a power-assisted copy indicator designed for easy attachment to the existing copyholder is necessary. If a user was to use one of the previously cited devices, the existing copyholding equipment would effectively be made useless, wasting resources and money. Thus, it becomes clear that the current devices heretofore known as solutions to the copy scanning problem are lacking as a result of the following key disadvantages:
(a) These devices were conceived to be stand alone units. They include in their designs the copyholder and the copy indicating mechanism as a single unit. They were not intended to be utilized in conjunction with existing basic copyholders, i.e. attached directly to a basic copyholder. This does not allow for users to merely upgrade their current copyholders or stands to have power-assisted copy indicators.
(b) Even though there have been many innovations regarding automatic line sensing and spacing mechanisms, a look at the currently available market shows little interest in the net utility of these ideas. The need for such a precise device has not been proven in the field.
(c) An elaborate line sensing and spacing mechanism will increase the device's production price and subsequent market price.
(d) The extensive number of parts and components required to build a copy indicator with automatic line sensing and spacing mechanisms increase its chances of breaking down, possibly requiring costly repairs.